proper

[ prop-er ]

/ ˈprɒp ər /

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See synonyms for: proper / propers on Thesaurus.com

adjective

adapted or appropriate to the purpose or circumstances; fit; suitable: the proper time to plant strawberries.

conforming to established standards of behavior or manners; correct or decorous: a very proper young man.

fitting; right: It was only proper to bring a gift.

strictly belonging or applicable: the proper place for a stove.

belonging or pertaining exclusively or distinctly to a person, thing, or group.

strict; accurate: proper pronunciation.

in the strict sense of the word (usually used postpositively): Shellfish do not belong to the fishes proper. Is the school within Boston proper or in the suburbs?

Grammar.

(of a name, noun, or adjective) designating a particular person or thing and written in English with an initial capital letter, as Joan, Chicago, Monday, American.
having the force or function of a proper name: a proper adjective.

normal or regular.

belonging to oneself or itself; own.

Chiefly British Informal. complete or thorough: a proper thrashing.

Ecclesiastical. used only on a particular day or festival: the proper introit.

Heraldry. (of a device) depicted in its natural colors: an oak tree proper.

Informal.

excellent; capital; fine.
good-looking or handsome.

Mathematics. (of a subset of a set) not equal to the whole set.

Archaic. of good character; respectable.

adverb

Informal. thoroughly; completely.

noun

Ecclesiastical. a special office or special parts of an office appointed for a particular day or time.

SYNONYMS FOR proper

1 suited.

2, 3 meet, befitting, becoming, appropriate.

5 special, individual, peculiar.

6 precise, exact, just, true.

See synonyms for proper on Thesaurus.com

QUIZZES

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Apostrophes can be tricky; prove you know the difference between it’s and its in this crafty quiz!

Question 1 of 12

On the farm, the feed for chicks is significantly different from the roosters’; ______ not even comparable.

it's

its

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Origin of proper

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English propre, from Old French, from Latin proprius “one's own”

OTHER WORDS FROM proper

prop·er·ly, adverbprop·er·ness, nounun·prop·er, adjective

Words nearby proper

propension, propensity, propenyl, propenyl group, propepsin, proper, proper adjective, properdin, properdin factor A, properdin factor B, properdin factor D

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for proper

Self-isolation in combination with easily available testing could be an excellent way to tamp down both viruses—according to epidemiologists, proper testing is a big factor in helping us return to relative normality.
The COVID-19 pandemic is about to collide with flu season. Here’s what to expect.|Sara Chodosh|August 26, 2020|Popular Science
You know, being able to tell right away if there’s irregular activity and report it to the proper authorities, that’s really an important part of the role that we play.
The Economics of Sports Gambling (Ep. 388 Rebroadcast)|Stephen J. Dubner|August 20, 2020|Freakonomics
Other vaccines bring in a unique, representative piece of the virus—a protein or a polysaccharide—that isn’t harmful, but still inspires the proper immune response.
Tackling covid|Tate Ryan-Mosley|August 19, 2020|MIT Technology Review
They will also touch on new forecasting abilities with Google Analytics that have just been launched and proper measurement.
Google and Ignite Visibility to host advanced paid media event you won’t want to miss|Sponsored Content: Ignite Visibility|August 12, 2020|Search Engine Land

Besides, proper implementation of VSM enables the following benefits.
Defining value stream management for SEO business owners|Connie Benton|August 11, 2020|Search Engine Watch
We need to recover and grow the idea that the proper answer to bad speech is more and better speech.
How the PC Police Threaten Free Speech|Nick Gillespie|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
He could deliver a quick, effective speech, or hold a proper press conference.
Obama’s Pot Policy Is Refer Madness|James Poulos|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
And so, he says he left prison without proper ID, just his release papers and the “dress-out gear” he was given by the state.
His First Day Out Of Jail After 40 Years: Adjusting To Life Outside|Justin Rohrlich|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
But those incidents are due to mistakes and leaks, not proper fracking procedures.
New York’s Conservative Fracking Ban|Jay Michaelson|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A portrait of him was done once in which the collar point was made to sit in its proper place.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days|David Freeman|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She herself had worn them in her youth, and they were the proper bonnets for "growing girls."
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
That it is a reasonable and proper thing to ask our statesmen and politicians: what is going to happen to the world?
The Salvaging Of Civilisation|H. G. (Herbert George) Wells
And this summer it seemed to her that she never would be able to take proper care of her nestful of children.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole|Arthur Scott Bailey
Seen thus poverty became rather a blessing than a curse, or at least a dispensation prescribing the proper lot of man.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice|Stephen Leacock
Not only are they required to do things in a proper orderly manner, but people have to treat them with due deference.
Children's Ways|James Sully

British Dictionary definitions for proper

proper

/ (ˈprɒpə) /

adjective

(usually prenominal) appropriate or suited for some purposein its proper place

correct in behaviour or conduct

excessively correct in conduct; vigorously moral

up to a required or regular standard

(immediately postpositive) (of an object, quality, etc) referred to or named specifically so as to exclude anything not directly connected with ithis claim is connected with the deed proper

(postpositive foll by to) belonging to or characteristic of a person or thing

(prenominal) British informal (intensifier)I felt a proper fool

(usually postpositive) (of heraldic colours) considered correct for the natural colour of the object or emblem depictedthree martlets proper

maths logic (of a relation) distinguished from a weaker relation by excluding the case where the relata are identical. For example, every set is a subset of itself, but a proper subset must exclude at least one member of the containing setSee also strict (def. 6)

archaic pleasant or good

adverb

British dialect (intensifier)he's proper stupid

good and proper informal thoroughlyto get drunk good and proper

noun

the parts of the Mass that vary according to the particular day or feast on which the Mass is celebratedCompare ordinary (def. 10)

Derived forms of proper

properly, adverbproperness, noun

Word Origin for proper

C13: via Old French from Latin prōprius special

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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WORD OF THE DAY

proper

adjective

adverb

noun

SYNONYMS FOR proper

QUIZZES

QUIZ YOURSELF ON “ITS” VS. “IT’S”!

Origin of proper

OTHER WORDS FROM proper

Words nearby proper

Example sentences from the Web for proper

British Dictionary definitions for proper

adjective

adverb

noun

Derived forms of proper

Word Origin for proper

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

proper

adjective

adverb

noun

SYNONYMS FOR proper

QUIZZES

QUIZ YOURSELF ON “ITS” VS. “IT’S”!

Origin of proper

OTHER WORDS FROM proper

Words nearby proper

Words related to proper

Example sentences from the Web for proper

British Dictionary definitions for proper

adjective

adverb

noun

Derived forms of proper

Word Origin for proper